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D. M. CHURCH.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 1

UJ .u uuu u um u umfUz @nue ntot l WW1- MM5 @13 Gt/coweq/y l A L1 u El/@X3i/Cheeses www Nrrnn STATES DVIGHT M. CHURCH, OF `XVILLIMANTIC,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTEEN TWENTY-FOURTHS TO ARTHUR C. ANDREIV, OFIVINDHAM, CONNECTICUT, AND EDGAR B. FOSS, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

RAI LWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,061, dated December1, 1891.

Application filed May 14, 1891. Serial No. 392,649. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DWIGHT M. CHURCH, of Villimantic,in the county ofWindham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway- Switches; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a f'ull, clear, and exact description 'of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Myinvention has among its objects the better prevention of accidentsfrom switches and ixing of the responsibilityA where it belongs when anaccident caused by a switch occurs; and it consists in a novelcombination, with the main tracks or rails and with sidings, of a singleswitch-point, in special means whereby this switch may be operated bythe engineer in charge of the train,and in other particulars presentlyto be described.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention,Figure 1 is aplan view ot' sufiicient of a main track and of side tracks branchingtherefrom to show my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is across-section in the line a of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a cross-section,enlarged, in the line y y ot' Fig. l; Fig. 4, an edge view, enlarged,ot' an ordinary car-wheel; Fig. 5, an edge view, enlarged, of theswitchopening wheel. Fig. 6 illustrates one way ot' operating from thelocomotive my novel switching devices.

A B indicate parts of two straight parallel main rails, neither of whichis, as has heretofore been the practice, bent out of its straight coursein order to form one of the rails of the side track. Rail B has in itsLipper face or tread a shallow diagonal groove b', adapted to receivethe flange of a car-wheel, and as neither rail is severed or bent bothcan be spiked down immovably, like any ordinary rail which has norelation or proximity to a switch.

C is the single and only switch-point used in my invention, and it isrigid throughout and has a flexible connection with a sidingral D is alever fulcrumed at one end on a cross-tie d and connected to a slide-barE, which is arranged to slide beneath the trackrails, and which has atits extremity outside of the track a projection e', adapted, when theslide is pushed outward, to put into action in any suitable manner analarm-bell c2. A simple means for effecting this is for the projectionto bear, when pushed outward on an incline e3, on a lever e4,which'lever may either directly act as a bell-clapper within the bell orrelease any detent, which will allow a clock-work or other mechanismwithin the bell to come into action to ring the bell. The bell is on oneend of a lever F, which is connected to slide I beneath the track-rails,as shown. A lightl spring d2 serves to retract the lever D and restoreit to its normal position. I will here state somewhat in advance thatthe object of this lever D is that when the single-pointed switch C isclosed against the inner side of its adjacent rail A and a car comesalong moving in the direction of the arrow marked 1 the side flange ofthe locomotive-wheel enters between lever D and the inside of the rail,and thereby moves the slide E and rings the bell, thus announcing to theear of the engineer that the switch ahead of him is closed, whether hehad been aware of it or not from any visible signal ahead of him whichappeals to the eye only. 'The engineer, being thus apprised that theswitch is closed, now works downward any suitable lever provid ed on thelocomotive and on the end of which is a small wheel f', having a iiangef2, like but somewhat thicker than those of the car-wheels, and thisiiange, entering between a lever G and itsadjacent rail B, forces theswitch C open. This is effected as follows: Levers G and H are pivotedat one end on a cross sleeper or tie d3 and are both connected to thesame slide-bar I, which, like slide E, is arranged to move between thecross-sleepers of the main track, and in one position of these partslever G is nearer the inner side of one main rail B and in the otherposition lever His nearer the inside of the other main rail A.Anotherlever J, centrally fulcrumed, is pivoted at one end to the sameslide I, and its other end is pivoted to aslide K, Ico

also working between the cross-sleepers, and this slide K is connectedto and actuates the single switch-rail. The flange f2 of wheel j",entering between lever G and the rail B, causes slide I to move lever J,which in turn actuates slide K, and thus opens the switch. the switch Cbe open and it be desired to close it by the act of the engineer on thelocomotive, he lets down a similar small flanged wheel, like f', at theopposite side of the car between the lever H and rail A, and this, bythe same mechanism just described, will close the switch C and simplyguide the car from the main to the side tracks L N. The bell indi catesto the engineer the position of the switch, even though there be noswitch-signal to appeal to his eye, or even if it be too dark or foggyto see a signal, or if the switcl1-ligl1tbe extinguished and henceinvisible, or even if visible but out of its proper position, and hecould hear the bell before he could get near enough to see a signal,even if the latter be all right.

The switch-rail C is connected to the fixed part L of the siding-rail inany well-known manner, preferably by long ish -plates C2, which canyield enough to allow the requisite small movement of the switch.

Another very important advantage resulting from my single switch-point(as compared with the usual two switch-points, both of which require asimultaneous and coinciding lateral swing or movement) is as follows: Insuch usual construction if a train be moving in the direction of arrow2, while the left-hand wheels of the locomotive and cars would bear withtheir superimposed weight on the continuous integral rail A, (and asthey do also with my inventiom) yet the right-hand wheels in suchordinary construction, together also with the weight of the locomotiveand cars, would bear on the gradually -diminishing breadth and strengthof the usual right-hand switch-point, and which too often proves tooweak and unequal to the demand thus made upon it, and which also tendsto wear it outI rapidly; besides which, as the lett-hand one of thedouble switch-points is forced open by the action of the iiange of theleft-hand locomotive-wheel, it is evident that the right-handswitch-point, weak as it is and unfit 'for supporting a great weight,must, in addition to bearing the weight and burden of the locomotive,act also as a carriage to move or shift the locomotive sidewise. Myinvention obviates and avoids all this when the train is running on themain line, as there is no switchpoint to uphold the locomotive, thelatter always resting with all its wheels on the two strong continuousrails A B.

lVith my single switch-point, if the train be running rapidly on themain track in the direction of arrow 2, there is nothing but this strongmain track to support the locomotive and train, and consequently nocustomary weak, thin, or tapering switch to receive or support at anytime the train or any part of Ifr it. lhe rail B being integral andcontinuous, the tread ot' the car-wheel, in whichever direction thetrain is running, passes smoothly over it, just the same as if it werenot grooved, so that the wheels cannot in any Wise be disturbed whilepassing over thatportion of the route where my single switch-point islocated.

In my invention snow and ice offer no impedimen ts beyond ordinaryconstructions, but lessen them, as there is but one switch-point to bemoved. I also avoid the use of any spring connected to the switch-point,its movement being always positive, and, as already stated, theresponsibility for an accident can always be traced and fixed upon thenegligent or guilty employe.

In my invention I have also devised means whereby, even when theswitchsignal is locked, the switch point may be operated either by theaction of the engineer while on the locomotive or by a switchman,provided one be employed, but yet such that it cannot be operated by atramp or meddler. 'These novel means are as follows: The signal-lever Qis pivoted on an upright projection M on a bar M, extending under therails and crosswise of the tracks. The same pin p which serves to lockthe signal-lever Q in a wellknown manner as, for instance, by fasteninga padlock in the hole r of the pin-also serves, when so wanted, tofasten slide M to a tie timber or sleeper or other convenient fixedpart, as indicated at p in Fig. l, this slide being of iron and so heavythat when not so locked or fastened down it can only be slid either bymeans of levers G II, by the action of the engineer, or by unlocking theswitch-lever and fastening the slide M by the same pin p to the timbersor sleepers, as above stated. The switchman can then operate the switchby means of the signallever Q. As each and all of the parts E I K Mslide beneath the rails, they are secure against rising upward orgetting out of order.

When, as heretofore, two switch-points are employed and the cars aremoving toward such points, either the crooking of an axle or thewabbling of a car-wheel, or a ange of a wheel when worn to a sharp edge,or a small bit of dirt accidentally lodged between one of theswitch-points and the rail, often allows a forward truck to run along onthe main track and forces a following one to run off on the side track,thus causing serious accidents and the overturning of the cars.Bymyimprovement these are entirely prevented.

If groove b were made deep enough to reach the web of the rail, or evento sever the rail entirely through, the invention would work with equalefficiency; butI prefer the shallow groove b', as it preservessubstantially all the strength and integrity of the rail.

The fixed side track N as applied in my construction serves firmly tobrace the rail B, as seen, abutting, as it does, directly-against itsside.

R is a short stationary guard fastened to IOO IIO

the sleepers to prevent the Wheels going Wrong-that is, to guard theirlanges so as to prevent their entering' Where they should not.

Fig. 7 illustrates one Wayin which the wheel 5 f may be put into actionby the engineer from the locomotive. A lever 6, Whose treadle 0r handleextends into the cab C3, is connected by a link 7 to a lever S, whichcarries the small Wheel f and the engineer may operate lever 1o 6 byfoot or by hand, as preferred; and if it and carrying a Wheel havingaflange thicker than those of car-Wheels, levers F G H J, and slides I K,all substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with lever D, slide E, lever F, and a bell on lever F,the combination being,r and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the single switchpoint C and lever Q, the slideK, connecting said lever and switch, and the bar M, on which theswitch-lever is pivoted, the combination permitting the switch to beoperated by the action of the thick anged Wheel, even when theswitch-lever is locked.

DWIGHT M. CHURCH. Witnesses:

lGEORGE W. MELONY,

NORMAN MELONY.

